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Jizyah is the Arabic language translation of Poll tax or "head tax". The jizyah is a per capita tax imposed on males of other faiths under Muslim rule in exchange for the protection of the Muslim community. Those who paid Jizyah were exempt from paying Zakat, a tax imposed on Muslims.

Definition

The root meaning of the word jizyah is compensation. Therefore it is unclear if the mention of compensation in the Qur'an clearly refers to monetary compensation. The word was later applied to a special tax levied on those who did not accept Islam. There was no amount permanently fixed for it; females, children, the poor, the disabled, monks, and hermits were exempt from it. The Caliph Umar changed the name of jizyah to sadaqah, to improve its connotation from "tribute" to "friendly charity". However, the name jizyah has been used for many years by orientalists, and is established in some circles in the United States, Europe, and Australia.

Some English translations of the Koran use the terms "tribute" or "compensation" rather than jizyah, a term that may or may not mean a specific monetary sum. Other translations refer to the monetary sum of jizyah. One translation of Sura 9.29 that can be interpreted as establishing Jizyah reads:

Sura 9.29 Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold forbidden that which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the (compensation/tribute/jizyah) with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.

USC Interlinear Koran

Jizyah was applied to every free male member of the communities known as People of the Book, and/or to non-Muslims living in lands under Muslim rule. Historically, Muslim rulers have also attempted to collect Jizyah from Hindus,Sikhs and Zoroastrians under their rule as well. The collection of the tax was often the duty of the elders of those communities.

In return, those who pay Jizyah are not required to serve in the military and are considered under the protection of the Muslim state, with certain rights and responsibilities. Non-Muslims are not required to pay zakat, or mandatory charity required of Muslims. In addition, if a non-Muslim chose to serve in the army, he would be exempt from paying Jizyah.

History

The Jizyah was levied in the time of Prophet Muhammad on vassal tribes under Muslim protection, including Jews in Khaybar, Christians in Najran and Zoroastrians in Bahrain.

Under Caliph Omar the Zoroastrian Persians were accorded status as People of the Book, and jizyah was levied on them. Christian Arab tribes in the north of the Arabian Peninsula refused to pay jizyah per se, but agreed to pay double the amount, under the category Sadaqah (Charity).

In India, Aurangzeb, the last prominent Mughal Emperor, levied Jizyah on his mostly Hindu subjects in the 1600s. The imposition of Jizyah after it had not been collected by previous emperors for 117 years, created enormous opposition and sectarian strife severe enough to initiate the decline of the Mughal Empire.

Resources

Many contemporary Muslim scholars can be cited, including Yusuf al-Qaradawi. Al-Qaradawi's book Non Muslims in Muslim Societies, which discusses many issues, including jizyah, is available online in Arabic on his web site.

Bat Ye'or has written about the history and practice of jizyah in her book "Dhimmitude." Ibn Warraq has written about what he thinks are discriminatory and oppresive aspects of Jizyah in his book Why I am not a Muslim.

External Links

Jizya in Islam by Dr. Monqiz As-Saqqar Ph.D in Christian Doctrines and Scriptures, Faculty of Usul al-Din, Umm al-Qura University, Saudi Arabia. Hosted on http://bismikaallahuma.org/ (Muslim apologetics site)

Online Fatwa's from http://www.islamonline.net/

Website of Yusuf al-Qaradawi

Jizyah and non-Muslim Minorities

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-'''Jizyah''' is the [[Arabic language]] translation of [[Poll tax]] or "head tax". The Jizyah is a [[per capita]] [[tax]] imposed on males of other faiths under Muslim rule in exchange for the protection of the Muslim community.  Those who payed Jizyah were exempt from paying Zakat, a tax imposed on Muslims.
+'''Jizyah''' is the [[Arabic language]] translation of [[Poll tax]] or "head tax". The jizyah is a [[per capita]] [[tax]] imposed on males of other faiths under Muslim rule in exchange for the protection of the Muslim community.  Those who paid Jizyah were exempt from paying Zakat, a tax imposed on Muslims.
 ==Definition==
-The root meaning of the word jizyah is compensation.  Therefore it is unclear if the mention of compensation in the Qur'an clearly refers to monetary compensation.  The word was later given to a tax levied on those who did not accept Islam.  There was no amount permanently fixed for it. Females, children, the poor, the disabled, monks, and hermits were exempt from it.  The Caliph [[Umar]] changed the name of jizyah to ''sadaqah'', to improve its connotation from "tribute" to "friendly charity".  However, the name jizyah has been used since by most Western [[orientalists]].
+The root meaning of the word jizyah is compensation.  Therefore it is unclear if the mention of compensation in the Qur'an clearly refers to monetary compensation.  The word was later applied to a special tax levied on those who did not accept Islam.  There was no amount permanently fixed for it; females, children, the poor, the disabled, monks, and hermits were exempt from it.  The Caliph [[Umar]] changed the name of jizyah to ''sadaqah'', to improve its connotation from "tribute" to "friendly charity".  However, the name jizyah has been used for many years by [[orientalists]], and is established in some circles in the [[United States]], [[Europe]], and [[Australia]].
-Some english [[translations]] of the [[Koran]] have tribute or compensation listed instead of jizyah, a term that may or may not mean a monetary sum. Other translations refer to the monetary sum of jizyah.  The translation of the Sura 9.29 that can be interpreted as establishing Jizyah reads:
+Some English [[translations]] of the [[Koran]] use the terms "tribute" or "compensation" rather than jizyah, a term that may or may not mean a specific monetary sum. Other translations refer to the monetary sum of jizyah.  One translation of Sura 9.29 that can be interpreted as establishing Jizyah reads:
 :[[Sura]] 9.29 Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold forbidden that which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the (compensation/tribute/jizyah) with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.
 [http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/009.qmt.html#009.029 USC Interlinear Koran]
-Jizyah was applied to every free male member of the [[People of the Book]], and/or non-Muslim living in lands under Muslim rule. Historically muslim rulers have also attempted to collect Jizyah from [[Hindu]]s,[[Sikh]]s and [[Zoroastrians]] under their rule as well.  The collection of the tax was often the duty of the elders of those communities.
+Jizyah was applied to every free male member of the communities known as [[People of the Book]], and/or to non-Muslims living in lands under Muslim rule. Historically, Muslim rulers have also attempted to collect Jizyah from [[Hindu]]s,[[Sikh]]s and [[Zoroastrians]] under their rule as well.  The collection of the tax was often the duty of the elders of those communities.
-In return, those who pay Jizyah are not required to serve in the military and are considered under the protection of the Muslim state, with certain rights and responsibilities. Non-Muslims are not required to pay [[zakat]], or mandatory charity required of Muslims.  In addition, if a non-Muslim chose to serve in the army, he would be exempt from jizyah.
+In return, those who pay Jizyah are not required to serve in the military and are considered under the protection of the Muslim state, with certain rights and responsibilities. Non-Muslims are not required to pay [[zakat]], or mandatory charity required of Muslims.  In addition, if a non-Muslim chose to serve in the army, he would be exempt from paying Jizyah.
 ==History==
-The jizyah was levied in the time of Prophet [[Muhammad]] on vassal tribes under Muslim protection, including [[Jews]] in [[Khaybar]], [[Christian]]s in [[Najran]] and [[Zoroastrians]] in [[Bahrain]].
+The Jizyah was levied in the time of Prophet [[Muhammad]] on vassal tribes under Muslim protection, including [[Jews]] in [[Khaybar]], [[Christian]]s in [[Najran]] and [[Zoroastrians]] in [[Bahrain]].
-Under [[Caliph]] [[Omar]] the [[Zoroastrian]] Persians were given [[People of the Book]] status, and jizyah was levied on them. Moreover, [[Christian]] [[Arab]] tribes in the north of the [[Arabian Peninsula]] refused to pay jizyah, but agreed to pay double the amount, and calling it [[Sadaqah]] (Charity).
+Under [[Caliph]] [[Omar]] the [[Zoroastrian]] Persians were accorded status as [[People of the Book]], and jizyah was levied on them. [[Christian]] [[Arab]] tribes in the north of the [[Arabian Peninsula]] refused to pay jizyah per se, but agreed to pay double the amount, under the category [[Sadaqah]] (Charity).
-In India, [[Aurangzeb]], the last prominent [[Mughal]] Emperor, levied Jizyah on his mostly Hindu subjects in the 1600s. The imposition of Jizyah after it had not been collected by previous emperor's for 117 years, created enormous opposition and sectarian strife which started the decline of the [[Mughal Empire]].
+In India, [[Aurangzeb]], the last prominent [[Mughal]] Emperor, levied Jizyah on his mostly Hindu subjects in the 1600s. The imposition of Jizyah after it had not been collected by previous emperors for 117 years, created enormous opposition and sectarian strife severe enough to initiate the decline of the [[Mughal Empire]].